How Long Will I Do This?

I don't know how long I'm supposed to journal about my family life and kids for. I had this grand idea that I would have a book printed for each of my children up til their first birthday. So now I haven't printed off Mila's yet, and I just finished Nayelli's. Now that I'm done, do I continue on? Do I catch up once in a while? Dunno. Who's to say?

So..... just in case.....

For Halloween we dressed up as Wizard of Oz characters. I found this perfect rainbow dress for Mila so that she could be the Good Witch. Luke agreed that he would be the Tin Man. I made a little apron for Nayelli to make her look like Dorothy and sparkled up some socks with this red glitter glue, but it all ended up coming off as she walked. Last minute, Aldo dressed up as a Munchkin, I was the Scarecrow and Bandit was the Lion.

Happy Halloween - Oh, My!

In November we went to visit Aldo's dad in El Paso. Time was due to see Abuelito. Nayelli and Mila attached to him like a magnet. And the car ride was fun and one to remember because every major stop the kids got a fun present to unwrap.

  

Visiting Abuelito in El Paso, TX

The Alvidrez Bloodline

The Christmas Play was a hit! We did a Disney-themed musical that went through the life of Jesus. I obviously was obsessed with the two group performances that had movements. They were so powerful! One was to "He is Not One of Us" and showed how the crowds rejected Jesus before he was crucified, and the other was to "He Lives In You" and was the salvational message/lesson that the main character learned. I'll tell you this - I will NOT volunteer to make theatrical flats again.

This year for Christmas, we stayed within budget, which was pretty cool. And I think for the first time I actually have the budget saved. Luke's big present was my old iPhone. Mila really wanted the doctor Barbies and I was planning on building her a cardboard Barbie house. The house ended up getting saturated when I tried to modge-podge the wallpaper on, and so I tossed it. She was still happy with her Barbies though. Nayelli got a train to ride on. She wasn't overtaken at first, but now she's all about it. Mila and her will hide random toys in the back, and Mila will push Nayelli on it, or they'll fight over it. So good buy. Mila and Luke are also very into LEGOs. It's neat to see them work on things together. Nayelli on the other hand is at a hair-pulling stage.

Aldo got us into football sometime in the middle of last season, and he was absolutely stuck on watching every Chiefs game this season. Well, he awakened the monster. We ended up hosting a Super Bowl Party that the Chiefs WON!!!! FYI, I had no doubts. Though I may not go to downtown to see the parade, or try to have every sign or show my support on FB, I do cheer for my KC teams.

    

Reppin' Chiefs & KC Every Sunday

 

World Champions 2020!

• Aldo is still loving his job. His boss was in Thailand for the winter and it seemed like he had off for a long time, and had snow days, and could go in late, but now we're back on a schedule, getting ready for the season of roofing to take off again I suppose. And, he's mentioned a few times how he can see himself running this business with a friend/partner in the future. Hmm...
• You can read my update in the last post.
• Luke has been taking Bandit to dog training on Sundays. Bandit is going through anxiety, which I didn't know that they go through that around this age...??? So he's chewed up three leashes within the last month, and he really, really, really feels comfortable in his kennel. But last week we worked outside and Bandit did a lot better. So cross your fingers that Bandit continues to work out of this anxiety phase and do well for Master Luke. Luke also has been enjoying the Percy Jackson series this year. We started off reading the first two books together, but then he got so far ahead that I had to stop.
• Mila has enjoyed the old princess movies like Snow White, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. She's also gotten really protective over her room within the last week. I'm noticing that maybe it's best that she have alone time in her room to play without Nayelli. So much she has to share, that it's good to have her own thing at times. Mila, like I said, does well enough in homeschool and she's excited to go to Kindergarten with a playground and other kids. She loves art and play-dough. Her hair is down to her bottom, and the other day I convinced her that it's ok to cut because we won't cut it so short that it looks like a boy's.
• Nayelli is learning more and more each day. She calls Luke - "Ook". She calls Mila - "Beela". She calls Bandit - "Dit". She calls poop - "po-po", Papa - "po-po" and popcorn - "po-po". She understands so much, and right now I'm trying to get her to understand the difference between YES and NO and the head nods or shakes to match. Nayelli likes to get in the dog food because she wants to help feed Bandit, but then she also will eat his food, or fling it to him piece by piece. She likes holding onto phones or tablets or remotes, and other devices. I think she feels the power. But she also has a tendency to call unknown numbers or have important items selected and ready to delete with a click of the red button. She takes one nap a day from 2:30 to about 4:30. And recently, she likes story time at the library. It's almost too long for her, but I know that it does give her and Mila something different. She likes the theme song to Gilmore Girls and dances to it, just like Luke used to run to Big Bang Theory, and Mila used to to whatever we watched during her early years. Mila has taught her the Baby Shark song and I am not annoyed with it yet.

Til next time. Doo-doo do do.

My mom says I need to continue blogging...

Little does she know I already am...

3 Months

Nayelli Grace (2 Months)

I actually haven't forgotten to write; I've just been really, really busy. From October through December we had been working on the Christmas play at church. It seems I was there at least three times a week. I was worried because it wasn't your typical Christmas play (a modern day Scrooge), and second it wasn't your typical nativity story that you would see in church (a modern day Scrooge with a spiritual twist). Furthermore, I had to do the set all by myself. And I had a newborn! And a three-year-old that can't sit still. Thank goodness Dad let me borrow his Netflix password, otherwise we would never have gotten it done.

Our Amazing Trunk or Treat (and First Family Photo)

Nayelli was a Unicorn Princess

After that we were sick for a while. About four rounds of itchy throat and runny noses, and pure exhaustion. I didn't feel much like talking about that. Actually, Nayelli had to be observed overnight at Children's Mercy because she had a temperature. Aldo had forgotten about this, but because of her young age, a slight temperature is something to worry about. It was rough. Aldo had to stay home with the kids and with Bandit. I had to stay at the hospital alone overnight. Nayelli had to sleep in a big girl bed/crib hooked up to monitors. Of course, she slept through the night proving the point that she is a "perfect baby". I slept in the rocking chair right next to her with lights on and waking up every hour to pump or for vital check, etc. I'm grateful though, because from this experience we learned that she can, indeed, sleep alone in her crib through the night. So when we got home, we swaddled her and put her in the crib. Since then she's slept through the night.

Nayelli's First Visit with Abuelito

The holidays were nuts. Absolutely nuts. Honestly, where do I come up with these ideas? And why do I open my big mouth? Why do I agree to things? For Thanksgiving, I decided that I wanted to see Dad's side of the family. We hardly ever see them for holidays. Then, Aldo's dad announced that he was moving to El Paso after Thanksgiving, so this was our last time to see him. And Aldo's mom would be going to central Mexico on vacation for Christmas. And Vero wanted to host, but not late at night. And Jerad would host, but he would have to do it later for the kids. It was all mixed up this year! Long story short, we made it to all three, but we were late to both of mine and I didn't get to do my favorite thing... play games! Never. Again. Never, ever again. Two Thanksgivings is enough. Three Thanksgivings is straight up coo-coo.  

Merry Christmas 2018! 

 The very first in our new house...

Christmas, I thought, might go better since we were hosting (Aldo's idea). I knew it was coming because Maecy hosted last year, and when we bought the house Aldo said we would host the next one. Hosting is just as bad as being the one to travel. I don't know who decided we'd be the only ones cooking... I know who. It was Aldo! IT WAS ALDO!!! Aldo told all of my family that we would cook mom's ham, buy a turkey as well and cook it, make mashed potatoes (because J and Amy might not be coming and they're easy), and I'd cook the green beans (per usual because I make his favorite). He told his family not to worry about a thing, that there would be plenty of food, just bring themselves!!! I was like, whoa now... if we're hosting two families at the SAME TIME, we're going to need more. Jerad brought a ton of soda. Granddad was supposed to bring the rolls (he brought hamburger buns). Maecy brought her pretzel salad dessert (delicious!), Mom made stuffing, and Jul came with (what he brings every year) pecan pie. Everyone came at the same time! IT WAS INSANE! Thanks to Granddad and his horrible memory, and Jerad's "5 minutes" turning into a solid hour, my side ended up at the house between 1:30-2:00. Aldo's side, running on CPT, got there immediately after. We were supposed to serve at noon. And I hadn't eaten breakfast. I was starrrrving! And you know what else??? We had two gift exchanges. And while everyone was playing games on the Cooper side, we had the Secret Santa with the Alvidrez'. And while they played the cube game and I almost burnt the second round of green beans, I also had to show the Coopers how to work the remote. Entertaining is stressful. All I wanted to do was play games!!! I had spent YEARS waiting to get to the adult table... it was like, my greatest accomplishment when I was finally able to sit down with everyone and be taken seriously at Up and Down the River... and now, I might actually strategize and win! Sheesh. Afterward, Aldo agreed that hosting both sides at the same time, even though we had enough seating probably wasn't the best idea. So now, we plan on switching years at hosting between the family. 
How did New Years come up? Aldo. Still Aldo. He told friends that he wanted to have them at our house. And invited more friends. Someone's kids invited their friends. And so on. Aldo had worked a regular shift, came home and grilled up some tacos, and hosted til past midnight. For a while there, it was a ton of music and, for me, running up and down the stairs to take care of Nayelli. Then for a while we played Texas Hold Em'. Midnight came, and since then we haven't had a spotless house. (Was it seriously ever going to be spotless? And with a dog that sheds?) Confetti was everywhere! I knew we'd have confetti to sweep up, but darn it, some kid took it upstairs and tossed it all over both of our kids' rooms and in the bathroom too! There's confetti in between the crack of the seat of our couch. There's confetti in our air vents. There's confetti in our vacuum that we emptied at least three times. And there's still confetti in our room (which was locked that night), from sticking to the bottom of our socks and shoes and being carried in there! Forever confetti. Fun night though. Since then, everybody wants to come to our house. I don't know why... we have hardly any seating. No one eats at the dining room table. Our dog goes bonkers when anyone comes over. Maybe I should stop smiling when someone throws out these bad ideas..... I'll replace it with Aldo's "grumpy cat" face.

I forgot to mention that in between the holidays, right before Christmas to be exact, Aldo decided to get a vasectomy. So there's that. I don't want to go into too much detail, but let's just say it was a bad experience for both of us. What should have been a 5-10 minute operation, ended up being 45 minutes. And the recovery was longer. And it's hard as a "nurse" when you don't know how to help the "patient" and how to empathize with what they're going through. All you know is that it was traumatic. And you know, it being the sensitive and prized area... all the more traumatic. 


Currently...

Nayelli
Gosh, because this is HER first year book that I'm working on... 
She's amazing. Absolutely amazing. I already said that she sleeps through the night. A typical day goes like this:

5:00-7:00 am • Wakes up after sleeping through the night for first feeding and goes back to bed
9:00-10:00 am • Wakes up for good, is very attentive and happy (I get most of my cleaning done)
Eating in between
12:00-2:00ish • First nap
Eating in between
Attentive, but wants attention. A good time for games, toys, and learning.
6:00-8:00ish • Second nap
Eating in between
10:00-11:00ish • Bedtime

She recognizes and loves my face. Daddy is pretty high up there too. More importantly, Bandit is interesting now. Except that I've caught him licking her hands, feet, and head while she's in the swing, so you have to keep an eye out. And on top of that, she likes to stick her hands in her mouth as fists. It's really cute. But what's not so cute is when she does it right after Bandit licks them. She also blows raspberries and will chatter at you and raise her eyebrows and smile, like she's telling you a story. Cutest thing ever! She drools a lot. Can babies cut teeth this early? Google says some babies are born with teeth, so at three months it could happen. Typically, they cut around 6 months, but a baby can start showing the symptoms as early as 3 months. If that's so, she might be slobbery in every picture from now til then. Just saying. Last, blankets now go to the mouth too. Today, I caught her examining her hands. The time when she starts examining all sorts of things with her mouth is coming. It's right around the corner.

Mila
Oh, Mila. She is a wonderful big sister. She doesn't try to "help" by taking care of the baby herself like I feared she might. Instead, she warns me when the baby is crying and I need to get out my "special leche". She'll grab you diapers and wipes if you ask repeatedly. And, she'll play with Nayelli by taking her toys, giving Nayelli a high-pitched voice and having a conversation for her, or by telling her she's "so cute" and reminding me to put bows in her hair. Everything is still "so cute". Nayelli is a "princess". Speaking of which... we had a conversation today:

Me [in control of Nayelli's hands]: Come at me, Mila. I'm gonna punch you. Come on. Come at me!
[Mila giggles]: No!
Me: Come on...
[Still giggling]: No!
Me: Hey, guess what, Mila. I'm a princess boss. 
Mila: No, you're not a boss.
Me: Yeah, Mila. I'm a princess boss. Mila's not a princess boss.
Mila: No!
Me: Yeah, I'm a princess boss. Mila's a baby!
[Mila giggles]: I'm not a baby! You baby! 

Gosh, she's so smart. And gorgeous! Both of my girls are GORGEOUS. I mean... watch out! But back to smart. I was worried because I haven't been able to work with her like I did with Luke. For a good portion of his life, Luke watched Elmo and that's how he learned everything. So I was very happy when she picked up Mickey's shapes book. And counting from "monkeys jumping on the bed". And colors from... well, I don't know where they came from. Power Rangers, maybe? I'm so proud.
Hopefully soon we'll be able to get back to the library, where she can have some big girl time and learn with kids her age. Get used to kids her age! She wants to go to "school" and calls the library her "school" and also church her "school". She'll tell me she has "homework" and then play with her toys for a while. I honestly have no idea what she's doing, but if it keeps her occupied for a little bit, then that's good. The girl is constantly talking, or singing, or moving. She's seriously a special kind.

Luke
This is the part where my mom said I should start blogging again. It comes from the fact that I enrolled Luke in 4H. He decided his first project should be with the dog. Actually I encouraged it. Dog Care & Obedience to be exact. Win-win! So we had our first class (without the dog). Class went well with three kids. The trainer is really nice and funny, seems down-to-earth and easy-going. She ended up giving out homework to work on this first week. Made sense since next class will be wild with 10-20 dogs, several of them less than a year old, meeting other dogs and other people for the first time in a new place with new smells. Some who haven't been on a leash that much. Some who haven't been in the car that much... like ours for instance. I imagine that we'll want to quit after the first week. Anyway, the homework was: to work on their name (a dog should look you in the eyes when you say their name, that way if you're out in a field and shout their name... they at least acknowledge you), work on a "stupid trick" that I can only describe as dog touches their nose to your open hand, and the basic trick of sitting. If the dog is already pretty good at sitting then you can toss them treats (which leads to staying). Well, we get home and Luke and I look at each other and say, "Hmmm... let's see what Bandit can do!"
Bandit is not a dumb dog. Close, but not the dumbest. He knows his name. Woohoo! He instantly wants to come at your hand if you put it out. Instead of a nose touch, it has turned into let me go above and beyond and lick your hand up and down for the treat. I will wrap my tongue AROUND your hand, that's how much I want a treat. :| And, for a treat... he'll sit right away. He'll also sit for praise. He likes attention. So, we're like... let's move on to the treat toss. The very first one bonks him right in the middle of the forehead! It was hilarious and sad. I've noticed that he's not very quick at sniffing things out. Apparently he's not very good at seeing things fly towards his head either. I will give it to him though, the treat is tiny like pea-size. I suggest we try a toy instead. So Luke and I do the trick with Bandit's squirrel that he just got for Christmas. He did sooo good! And Aldo taught Bandit to "drop it" so it's been turned into a really fun game! After 20 or so treats and fetches, we're done and I go upstairs. Before I know it, Luke comes up and tells me he has bad news. Bandit ripped up his squirrel. There's stuffing everywhere. Ok, no biggie. He's also ripped up my bra. My last bra. Ugh. THIS DOG! The trainer said to pay attention to how much praise vs. "no"s we tell our four-legged companions. I tied up the count real quick. (To be noted: Bandit has gone after my bras forever. Is it my smell? Is it the breastmilk? Is it the fact that it's just mine and he wants it? I don't know why he went for it, but he's on my Do Not Trust list. Cannot leave bras around, even if on the highest point of the couch or counter. He WILL find it. He WILL go for it.)

Aldo & Myself
Right now our church is doing a 21-day fast. It's been good so far. It is only Day 3...
In the midst though, we have been planning for the Children's Church ahead of schedule, which is nice (for me especially... the admin). We went on a "date" last night to go pick up a foosball table in middle of nowhere, Holton, KS. During the ride we talked about dreams that we've had on trips to go on, retirement, aspirations, work-related goals, etc. Today starts the day where I start getting the house in order and our five year plan written out, a budget in place and so on. Aldo and I are finally in agreement to do the insurance thing (not with the original company), AND in agreement that I should go back to school to become a CPA. I've looked into it several times and every time I think - Oh my gosh, I haven't done a math problem in forever and now companies and people are going to trust me to help them with their finances and taxes! I can't do percentages off the top of my head like Aldo can! I don't understand stocks! I would have to be attached to Excel and whatever other programs they have now. And, would working with numbers all day be mundane and dull? But, I am encouraged to try out a class at least. I can do it. If it doesn't work out, well, like Aldo's insurance job... it wouldn't be "the dream job"... but a means to the end. In all seriousness, I've made the dream job. I'm a mother.

Moving Month, Part 2

This has been the hardest month (week) physically, financially, emotionally, and any other which way you look at it. Originally our Must Move Out Date was December 15th. But when the new buyer's loan didn't come through, the date was pushed back to December 30th. Aldo and I had most of our stuff moved out by the 15th. The final things were bicycles, tools, and the like in the garage. And some condiments in the fridge. Then, the week of Christmas mom informed us she was going out of town to Tennessee to move her camper and put an offer on some land down there. She said we (Aldo, myself, my uncles and Granddad) had to move her stuff out by the time she got back. Because the next day she would be signing the papers over. !! We had three days.... AND this is Aldo's busiest season, full of BLACK OUT days. 

Well, we did it. We got it done. With a toddler too!

Let me vent for a second.... I thought I might get a break from moving on Christmas Day. I didn't. Mom was taking off the next day for her trip, and all Christmas she was grumpy, saying stuff like "well I need to pack... I guess I'll do it by myself... nobody is helping me..." in her passive aggressive way of asking people to help her move. It's Christmas! So I went all day hearing this while trying to be with family, and finally couldn't take it any more and went over to help her get things loaded on her camper at night, since the guys just wanted to watch football. We pulled the camper in front and were checking the tail lights when we found that the entire right corner was covered in mold. The cushions were ruined. The corner needs completely gutted. So I couldn't pack anything on the camper. At the same time we found a leak in the garage. Apparently all that work mom and Jerad did on the garage roof, pulling up the surrounding metal, cleaning off the top, patching, and painting didn't fix the problem. So all night mom was furious. I went to help her pack so she would be ready to leave at 6 or 7 in the morning, so she could get down to Tennessee at the time she wanted, but instead  most of the time was spent shaking her head at the cushions and the puddle in the garage floor. The next morning she took her Durango to the mechanic to have fluids checked and wound up getting things replaced... and didn't leave until after noon.

Day 1 - Monday : Jerad cleaned out the 3rd garage stuff like mom's tools that she wanted in the trailer and put a load of things in his horse stall.

Day 2 - Tuesday : Jerad and I started packing boxes and moved them all to the large trailer with the furniture so we could figure out the best way to pack it on mom's trailer (to fit it all and get what mom wanted by the door.) Then when Jul came over we started moving it over to mom's trailer. It was probably our biggest moving day. And all this time Luke, Jenna and sometimes Jenna's friend were watching Mila.

Day 3 - Wednesday : Aldo and I both had to work in the morning, so Jerad watched the kids for us. Dad wanted to meet with me and the kids after I got off work for a special Christmas shopping spree. And then when we got back, Jerad was ready to finish with mom's house. I guess he had moved the rest of the garages and back room to the barn?? Or somewhere. I have no idea. So what was left was craft room junk and outside junk. We spent the night moving old, good-for-nothing (not even firewood) lumber on Jul's trailer. 

By the time mom got home on Thursday I was super excited that we got all that she asked done. Thursday morning Aldo and I went to sign papers at the apartment because it would be his only day off. Mom wasn't impressed at all when she saw what we had done. She said we didn't have to move the wood. The trailer was packed wrong. And where did her computer go? And we need to stop using her internet. ?!?! 

The newest news is this: the sale of the house fell through.

The appraiser for the VA that the guy was getting his loan from appraised the house too low. An appraisal that may stick with the house for 6 months. Mom doesn't want to come down on the price of the house again... (it would be $232K). All of our rush and work, I feel, was for nothing. She commented that she's letting the contract with her real estate agent run out and she'll do a For Sale by Owner. And in the meantime bring up the price of the house by updating the kitchen.

Lately, she's been hovering. The other day she wanted Luke to go with her to recycle, and when I said no because we had plans, she began to interrogate me on what those plans were. And got defensive when I said she's judgemental and that's why I didn't want to tell her. (Maecy said she told her our conversation and that she assumed I was at our Pastor's house. A Pastor's is not a bad place to hang out. No wonder I never had friends growing up...). When I went over today  to finish up the basement by shampooing the rest of the carpet and sweeping and mopping, and scrubbing the bathroom floor like she wanted... she came down and started spraying cleaner in the creepy bathroom (that we never used and had already cleaned) and started looking under sinks and such. When are we going to be free of her criticism? Are we ever going to be finished with the house? We have our own apartment now, pushed out / forced to get into by my own mother... when is our life going to become important?   Nothing we ever do, no decision we make is ever going to appease her.

I'm seriously bummed for my mom that the house didn't work out. This whole adventure / process has been one obstacle after another. I'm sorry her hopes were set high. I'm sorry she's now stuck in a house to pay for by herself, with an animal she'll have to take care of by herself, with repairs or remodeling she wants to make to get it sold at the price she wants and I'm sure she'll be left to do it by herself. The outcome to all of this isn't what I thought. What should be a celebratory thing hasn't been that way with every step. All I know is now we have the keys to a place called home, and we're going to be sleeping there on Tuesday. 

Moving Month, Part 1

1 Year, 4 Months

We're half-way through our move. Like any other major events that happen in life, there's been some good and some bad points, although I would say this has been better than what I expected, and the so-called "bad" have just been "surprises". For instance, I thought the kids would get on my nerves. They don't at all. The kids are hardly here, and when they are Luke has someone to keep him busy and off the tv, Mila has young baby watchers so we can move or clean or cook, and if none of the above, they actually keep to themselves. When they're not here the house is absolute quiet. My uncle is usually off doing horse business making the big bucks, or in his room. Another example, I thought Mila would be too much for them because she can be demanding and loud. The kids LOVE her and she has this weird communication/connection with Jerad. He LOVES her. My guess is he has a little baby fever. (After all they used to foster all the time. So kids had the run of the place.) For some reason I keep imagining my mom talking with family members and as a side note questioning how it's going or somehow making us look like bad renters (whether it's not getting the laundry through in a timely fashion, not cleaning up dishes, always watching tv, always sleeping, always reading, using all the internet, using all the water, not offering to help with horses, not painting the place..... these are just some valid to outlandish things I could come up with, and it's not really that far-fetched of a daydream). And Jerad answering for us.. "no, they're good tenants." Of course we are. I feel as if Jerad would rather we stay longer; if not for the extra money then for the company.

This past week was the first time we actually "hung out". Aldo and I had to go somewhere, I can't remember, and Aldo told Jerad he could watch on our tv. When we got back Jerad has his feet up on the couch all comfortable-like and was watching off of Kodi (the movie set-up Dad did for us). The next day he was on it again. And the next day. And then the kids were here for the weekend. At first they played outside in the snow, and then when they came in... watched on our tv again! This was the surprise. I thought for sure they would leave by bedtime. Because they were watching the movie for the second time. And it was a school night. And privacy. Nope. Aldo wasn't here so Luke was put in bed and Mila and I hid in my room watching a DVD on my laptop. So this was the one time where privacy ever came up. And it really wasn't that bad. Not what I thought.

The other surprise has been the fireplace. It's not bad or anything... just a nuisance. You have to restock the logs more frequently than what I would have thought. Our first night here was the coldest night ever!! And so now we know how much firewood, size of logs, when to put them in, how to control the fire, etc. I guess for if we ever need to know that information. But more importantly, central heating is a MUST and a fireplace can be back-up.

---

Today I had a morning meeting, so while Mila slept on Jerad's watch, Luke came with me and then I took him to school. This would give me the chance to ask about transferring later on and virtual school, etc. The office lady was a heckler. She gave me the 10th degree and dug in to where I had to tell the truth about us moving. And she was like... <use Wicked Witch of the West voice>.. "well using a different address is illegal." Ugh. Do you know how many people live out of district and still go to the school of their choice? Or use a different address than where they are really living? A ton of people. AND, I've had several people tell me that they knew people who didn't have to transfer. A Piper kid for instance. That's KCK school district. Hmmmm.... So it's not like I was asking for Luke to ride the bus or anything. She said, "well, he'll need to get approved by the district office and you'll have to call them... and usually only people who need special attention or special reasons get through." Baloney. (I know that's not how you spell the word... But I think that's how It's spelled when it's not the lunch meat, and more of phoney information. Just so you know. I'm not illiterate. Haha!)

So... today I've spent scrambling to get paperwork together: birth certificate, lease information, immunizations, utility information, etc. All before the schools and businesses are closed for the holidays and winter break. Luke's last day at Basehor Elementary is tomorrow!!! He doesn't even know. Him, his teacher, the schools... it's like nobody had been prepped and made ready for this transition. Poor buddy. His friends are going to be surprised to know that he's not coming back from winter break. He's moving away. And so what should be a fun thing has become an emotional, sad thing. My poor baby. I can see a few benefits from this:

1. The new school is directly across the street from the apartments. So I no longer have to travel back and forth to take Luke to school. Less money spent on gas for transportation. And I do t have to travel during the winter months either. And I can be there at a moment's notice if need be.

2. We continue to break out on our own. Is Johnson County where we see ourselves in the future? Well, we aren't still hitched to family in the boonies.

3. It's easier to transfer now rather than in 2nd or 3rd or 4th grade, or middle school. It's better now while he's young. And at least it's one kid and not both of them.

4. This is weird, but another daydream I've been having is that what if this is all part of God's plan? What if years from now Luke is sitting across from his wife, whom he met in 1st grade at this new school, and she confesses that if he had come sooner he would never have "stuck out" to her. An de if he had come sooner he would never have been coupled up with her to learn the class rules, catch up on the subject, etc. What if this is all God's plan? (That should have been my #1.)

As I was being handed all the paperwork to sign at this new school from this new face in the office, I was heartbroken that Luke had to be plucked out from what he knew and pushed into something else. I said out loud, "<sigh> this is sad." The office lady looked at me like I was crazy. Like I was getting a divorce or something and Luke was going to need counciling. Not the case, lady. It's more like my expectations were hit by a train. And so all I can think is - it must all be God's plan to get us into that position where He wants us. Literally.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

Whenever I get on here my mind is literally blank on what I should write. So much happens week to week, there's absolutely no way of catching up on all of it. This past week/month/year has been no different. I can't even begin to cover it all. So forgive me with the things that I'm writing on or the things I have missed...

Since Aldo and I caved in October and bought our first flatscreen tv (finally!) with our first credit card (yikes!) I've been able to keep up-to-date on all the happenings in the world. I'll tell you, I'm not impressed. It's wearisome. Today is Election Day. For the past 500+ days, everything has been this candidate and that candidate, accusation after accusation, this "tweet" and that document... It's hard to take seriously. But tonight there will definitely be a new president in the White House. It really opens your eyes to what's in store for the next 4 years. How is this going to look for my children? How can I teach them to be "informed" when they are surrounded with a ton of bipartisan and/or fluffed up media?

I had to have a conversation with my 6-year-old a couple weeks ago on politics. They were discussing who to vote for on the bus. First off, why can't our kids just be kids for a while longer!?! Second, how do you discuss with your kid the hard issues and topics? The ones people get really passionate about and even offended? I don't want to downplay it, but I don't want to burden them either. And I don't want to make the decision for them either. I explained to him what each candidate planned on doing, simply, and told him it was his choice to pick who would lead the United States best. My son is so brilliant, he told me it was a tough choice because he didn't agree with either one of the candidates fully. (This year the runners are Donald Trump [Rep] and Hillary Clinton [Dem].) 

If I Were President...

"I would say that it's a law to take showers weekly."

"I'll try to be a good and wise president."

I will be glad when this is all over. I feel cautious... There are so many people that have become hardened, I think. There is "Black Lives Matter", "Blue Lives Matter", different communities... and last night I just heard the phrase Divided States of America. This is scary folks. Our nation is on the brink of change. So where do we stand when all the pieces fall?

Another change has been the sale of this house, and the move to <fill in blank>.
Mom projected that the house would sell in October and her goal was $334K. It was an outrageous amount so we didn't think it would sell as quick. Every other weekend it felt like there was an "open house" without anyone seriously buying. And every other weekend we had to clean the house top to bottom, following our kids around AND making improvements on top of that. It was exhausting. AND some of those weekends we had to take care of the animals alone. It was beginning to be a fun-sucking process. Mom lowered the price (a total shock) and started getting some real bites. At the end of October, she came to an agreement on an offer $273,500. We had inspectors come... a ton of them... all on the same day! It was nuts. They checked EVERYTHING! (The lagoon, upstairs, downstairs, light sockets, water damage, mold, the roof, the dirt and poisonous air that might come out of it, etc.) It looked promising until the gentleman said he wanted the lagoon moved. How would you move a lagoon? Mom didn't cave; she said no. They agreed that mom would clean the garage roof (because Ollie pooped on it) and would have it patched where it had been leaking.
Starting in November, it appeared that we wouldn't be living here after December; we won't have Christmas here. I wasn't really torn up about it... a house is a house... but the more I think about it, the more it kind of saddens me. It is a basement, but it's difficult to imagine having Christmas at a new place. Anyway, November we began searching FOR REAL for apartments. The obtaining of a home loan without credit seemed too far-fetched when we didn't have the "alternative stuff" that they wanted specifically, and we didn't have enough of a downpayment either. So, option #2... rent an apartment. It's been a while since we looked at the apartment market, but geez... it's expensive. Our rating system for apartments was on a scale of 1-10... 10 being everything we ever wanted and 1 being better than a box. I googled, Zillowed, apartmentsearched, mapped, etc. every apartment in the area. There is hardly anything. It was overwhelming. It has come down to... you are paying the extra money to live in a neighborhood with less reported crime, drugs, shady people, and extra appliances.
To cut a long story short, we made appointments to look at two apartments this week that, at the time, I had a feeling we can't afford.
BUT THEN... I prayed. It seemed we had two choices:
1. Live with Jerad and save. But we wouldn't get the "alternative credit" for renting so we would have to get more credit cards (that we don't want) and open our own phone lines or pay for internet or some other utilities (that we don't necessarily need). And yet, Luke would easily remain in the school he's attending and I wouldn't need to worry about driving him.
2. Rent from a way over-priced apartment and go through our savings, as well as have to wake up early and drive Luke to school daily. Or rent in a questionable neighborhood and fear for what may be going on around us and who, and still drive Luke to school. Is it worth it?
After I prayed, God spoke to me. He said, "Why don't you live with Jerad in December and pay him what you agreed on and the difference put straight in savings? Pretend like you are renting." I thought about it and went through all the pros... Luke still goes to school; if we go negative on budget, it's not like we actually lost the money; we get prepped for how this will look; if we can make the budget work in December when it's Christmas then we can make it work any month, etc. But then I stopped and had to ask, "But is this still faith?" And He said, "Is faith being OBEDIENT?" When I told this to Aldo, he agreed that we weren't going to argue and we'll do the December mock-renting at Jerad's. It's wise, right? Like, why didn't we think of this earlier?
So, we are prepping to move to Jerad's. This week we are still going to the apartments to get our numbers to budget on, and next week we'll probably clean Jerad's basement and get it ready to move into. Then we'll move over the things that we don't use everyday. And by December the rest of it.
A quick side note: I never thought she would do it, but it looks like Mom is selling the chickens. I was beginning to think she was taking them with her to Tennessee. She said that the only reason she wanted us to stay as long as we have is so that we can let out the chickens in the morning. (!!!) Well, thanks for that.

At the same time... I don't want to put all her dirty laundry on here, so I'll leave out the details... Maecy and Mateo moved in. I have been watching Mateo a few days out of the week. He's a good kid, but two babies at the same time is almost too much. I look forward to when Aldo or Mom or Maecy, or Luke even, come home. I'm beginning to get the schedule down, like when nap times are and when to eat, or check for poop. But when they cry and you're tired from apartment hunting and cleaning and other small annoyances... it's like nails on a chalkboard. Thank you Lord, that this isn't going to last too long.

Our First Day with Mateo

(He was crying, and at first Mila tried to cheer him up, 

but when he just got louder, this is what followed.)

So the next few months and 2017 are going to have a whole new look. It's almost like earth got hit and is revolving on a new axis. Well, I'm not being dramatic or anything... <sarcasm>. I think I need to follow up this post with a few pictures maybe.

Halloween 2016: A Poke-Family

Luke was Infernape (a level two pokemon that is a monkey and catches on fire. 200 attack points.)

Mila was Pikachu. I was a Pokeball, and Aldo was the guy who throws the Pokeball.

I guess I didn't get to talk about it... Halloween was alright. Luke, Mila and I went to the Cubbages and trick-or-treated with them for a road and a half, and it was kind of stressful. Then we went with Maecy and Mateo, Mom, Jerad and the kids, which was also difficult but only because the kids are heavy when you're carrying them and wearing a gigantic Pokeball. It only happens once in a lifetime though. Enjoy your family when you can! 

When Papa Visits

Hair Long Enough for Pig Tails!!! <3

Tennessee Calling

(Almost 11 Months)

So back and rested from camp, what has happened? A lot actually. We had the fourth of July celebration at Cam's house. And we have a new friend from camp that we are claiming into our big church family - Josh.

And we had debated beforehand if I was going to go back to work at the library. But decided we wouldn't discuss more until July. Well we discussed it, and figured out that going back on Wednesday and one Saturday a month would be ok, as well as continuing to work on Thursdays. Tuesday is a possibility. BUT.... something else happened.
Mom brought a real estate agent to the house. She's about ready to list the house. There's a few minor things she has to do beforehand - trim the trees and mulch the front. She could get that done in the next week. So our schedule to find a home has been moved up. The real estate agent said that the place would sell quick. Our timeline is 2 months (by October)!

Her plans are to move to Tennessee and live in a tiny home. :(
So all yesterday I looked at houses that we might be able to afford. Or different ways to buy us time or save money. Different ways to make it work. It's going to be strange without mom around. And not living in a basement. Being ON OUR OWN for real. It's time though, I guess. We've been here since Luke was 4 months old (that'll be 6 years in September). It'll be strange not having a Grammy around. Maybe this is a new season to get closer to Dad, or to his Abuelito and Mama Lily? And it breaks my heart to think that Mateo and Mila won't get to know Grammy like Luke does. Crazy new seasons!!

One thing Aldo and I agreed on last night was that this process - although others have gone through it and have gotten in fights about various things and it's caused divorces, etc. - that it's going to be fun for us. And we'll grow together. Lord showed me His provision all through camp and that He steers things, He can surely do this. I remember things being backward or opposite when Aldo had his surgery. Instead of scared, we felt peace. And during our marriage, it's been sort of opposite - we might have had one argument, but it's been seven years at the end of July and I haven't "itched" at all. We love each other more. And I can read his mind. He has yet to read mine. But he's not tired of trying. So I feel like with buying our first home, it will be opposite than what the norm is. As I said from early on.... I won't be a statistic. We're going to stand out.

Mila Eating Like a Big Girl! 

She looooves spaghetti.

I've figured out that it's hard to get any picture other than Mila because when I am not holding her is the time I am able to take the picture... and I'm always holding her. When a time comes when someone offers to take a picture of the family, you take it. I try to get pictures of the two kids together. And of even Aldo and the kids. Nobody thinks to take pictures with me in them!!! HA! So here are our 4th of July pics. Enjoy!

*~ Buying our Fireworks ~*

(They offered to take our pic with the big blow up monkey. IT WASN'T EVEN THAT MEMORABLE! LOL)

Happy on the 4th

I HAVE FRIENDS!!!!

Family Trip to Branson, MO

I am going to do this entry for the day in two parts because so much has happened…

June 8-11, 2016
Our Trip to Branson - (10 Months)

Wednesday morning we woke up early, behind schedule as our family usually is (but not on MY part), to head off on our trip, all packed in my mom's blue Durango. Luke and I had been double checking and triple checking bags for days. I think we overpacked. But better safe than sorry. We met up with Maecy and Juan at their apartment, and they were behind schedule too. (I actually think they had just packed that morning! That's something I could never do… I am a planner at heart.) The drive down wasn't bad - Luke watched "Blank Check", I read my book club book written in the voice of a kid with autism doing detective work like his personal hero Sherlock Holmes over a neighborhood dog that was murdered, Aldo was probably bored, and we all did a Mad Libs that was really drawn out. Mila was terrific and slept for a good portion of the drive.

We stopped at Lambert's, Home of the Throwed Rolls. Delicious! I should've known then that the trip would be a little difficult, but I'm an optimistic. Or try to be at least. … I have my moments… Lambert's is just a place that you HAVE to stop at when you go to Branson. It's like a right of passage, or approval to continue on the rest of your vacation. You order your food, but random waiters and waitresses pass by with sides that you can try like fried potatoes and okra, and macaroni and tomatoes (NOT Aldo's favorite). Mila loved the chicken and dumplings I ordered. I filled myself up on buttered rolls though. My stomach was miserably happy. Luke shared livers and gizzards with Grammy - it's their thing. Maecy also had chicken and dumplings, but I don't know if she got to eat much because she was taking care of Mateo every time I looked over. Juan didn't like his chicken fried chicken. He said it was like meatloaf. ((I'm confused. How is chicken fried chicken like meatloaf? Did he order the wrong thing? And who doesn't like chicken fried chicken? You must not be American. Oh wait… ;-D ))

The condo that we upgraded to was nice, but not at all what I expected. I kind of expected a little more extravagant… almost like a cabin with a large living space and kitchen, with three rooms branching off each with their own bathroom and jacuzzi. That's how they explained it. Well, it's not like that. The condo was like three nicer hotel rooms connected. Ours was the middle one and had a large kitchen and  large living room/dining room, a small laundry closet, a small bathroom, and another toilet room in our bedroom and a jacuzzi. Maecy and Juan picked the one I would have preferred, it had a smaller living space and small kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom with jacuzzi. Mom and Luke got stuck with the side that didn't have a jacuzzi, or any flatscreen TVs. Just the ol' tube television.

From what I'm saying, you probably understand that this is one of the only trips that I will ever go on again with my extended family. I've learned that you just can't please everyone. Not everyone likes the same things. Not everyone thinks alike.

That night Maecy and Juan decided to go to Cherry Berry (same thing as Sweet Frog), a yogurt place, and then to a martial arts show called "Legend of Kung Fu - The Return of the Dragon". The show wasn't bad. It wasn't great. It's also not your typical Branson show to see either. Luke got a broken steel rod from it though, and a cheapy wire bike thing, and a picture for memory's sake. Later that night Maecy and Juan bought pizza.

Day 1 - "Legend of Kung Fu"

I figured for this trip we had 4 days, so each of us would be able to pick ONE thing that we wanted to do, and we'd be able to do it easily. Mom's choice was "Ride the Ducks". We decided that Thursday morning before Silver Dollar City was our best shot. Siri, the phone character who is supposed to give perfect directions, got us lost and we were an hour or so late getting started. But, we ended up having the best time! Captain Crunch was making jokes with tidbits of history thrown in and shout outs to nearby must-see shows. We loved it. It was one of the highlights of the trip! I would definitely recommend it. Although, it's not really geared toward Luke's age…

Day 2 - "Ride the Ducks"

Afterward we went to Silver Dollar City. We arrived at around lunch time, and we were at the exact location of the restaurants with the moving tables. Another unwritten right of passage. Because we had chicken the day prior, BBQ was our only other option, and of course it was at the restaurant below ground with the longer wait and the table that was taken right before we got to the buffet. I thought everyone was alright sitting down and eating, until we got outside again. Maybe it was the heat?? Maybe they were tired of American cooking / potatoes?? I don't know. My attitude went sour though. One of my pet peeves is when people don't listen and it feels like I'm talking to a wall. Or they can't make a decision so we're stuck in one spot wasting time and energy. I want to move. That's what we're there for. Let's find something to look at, ride something, or split up since everyone can't be happy. Eventually we made it to the first ride. It didn't occur to me until we were in line that Luke had never ridden a roller coaster before. I imagined it was like watching a scary movie for the first time, like Jurassic World. If he got scared, he could hold my hand. That's not how it was. It wound around and whirled, it went up and down, it went fast! At the end he said he never wanted to ride it again. I realized he had never ridden a big roller coaster before. And he probably actually feared for his life! Maybe I didn't prepare him enough. Oops. Somehow we convinced him to go again with Aldo. Well then we decided maybe we should go to the kiddie coaster. He was still scared and hid his face. Other rides to mention are: the wet ride similar to The Nile at Worlds of Fun (Luke loved, but the wait was over an hour and miserable in the heat), Fire in the Hole (Mom, Maecy and I thought it would be exciting because of the train coming straight at us, but the only exciting part was the water splashed in our faces. Is that new? I remember screaming because of the train…), and the other wet ride in the log. Luke's face was priceless.

Day 2 - "Silver Dollar City"

That night we had already purchased tickets for the Dixie Stampede. It's one of my favorite shows I have ever been to. I remember a more escalated rivalry (political) between the North and South, but I know they change the show with every season. It was still good. The food is AMAZING. What irked me most is that a certain person in our party didn't even try the food. After it was paid for. I'm going to rant for a second: if someone offers you something or already buys you something, I don't care who you think you are or how sick you are of it - you at least try it. Make an effort! The soup was on point. It's like the soup of my life I think. And I'm not particularly in love with soup. So and so missed out.

The day completely wore us out, and emotions were high. The next day we decided to take it easy. It was easier than what I would have chosen… Maecy and Juan picked Mexican food for lunch. (As Aldo would say… "You don't go to China and complain about all the Chinese food." He meant that when you go somewhere, you stick to the local cuisine.) Luke had been wanting to swim since the pools had opened, so we went down to the pool. The water was freezing. All the kids enjoyed it though, shivering all the way. I was uncomfortably cold and mom was by herself. I asked if Mom and Maecy wanted to go to the downtown store for fudge while the guys continued to swim. We agreed. Well, plans changed and changed and changed and changed. We ended up going to The Fudgery and buying about 5 pounds of different flavored fudge. Then going to the Track because Aldo and Juan wanted to ride in the go-carts. Except that it wasn't the right track for Juan. So Maecy and Juan walked across the street to shop while the rest of us stayed at the Track. When they came back they said the stores were closed, and somehow some way, we all drove a go-cart that night. And we all had a good time. I don't know if 100% of us will admit we had a good time, but I know all of us were smiling.

Day 3 - "The Track"

Our final day we drove back up to Silver Dollar City. It was still hot, and busier than the other day we came. Maecy and Juan ended up leaving early because Mateo was showing signs of a temperature. (Or that's what they say.) All in all it was probably good that they left when they did, because I don't think they would have enjoyed another minute being there - Maecy had ridden a few rides, gotten a headache, and Juan was stuck alone watching the kids. After they left, we went on the Nile ride again for Luke and ended with the largest ride Outlaw Run. Before heading home, we stopped at the 5 & 10 (Five and Dime) to buy some souvenirs. You know how the drive home is usually faster than the drive leaving for your trip? It wasn't like that. The drive home seemed longer. Mila was cranky and tired of being in the car seat. My feet were crushed by bags and at a weird angle. And it was dark so there wasn't anything I could read, and Luke took over my phone. Aldo wanted to listen to music, but mom selected Celtic opera Celine Dion-comparable junk that annoyed me.

Family knows just how to get under your skin. But it's not funny.

 

Day 4 - "Silver Dollar City Again" 

Luke bought ostrich jerky with his spending money.

I've had time to think it over. Was I harsh in my judgements? No, not at all. Will a trip like this ever happen again? I hope not. Nothing is interrupting/overtaking a family trip that Aldo and I planned out ever again. To turn this into a positive - I'm deeply grateful and thankful for my family (Aldo, Luke and Mila). They are seriously THE BEST.

Nightmare of a Day

8 Months, Going on 9... (37.5 Weeks Old)

This has been a day. Actually a week. I thought I'd give you a little taste of life at home now.
Yesterday Aldo and I did nothing all morning (meaning we watched tv and held Mila) because I had to go into work at 3. Well, just because Aldo was being nice, scooting on the couch closer beside him I pointed to my shoulder and asked him to massage it. It wasn't necessarily hurting, but it could use a little love and attention. He didn't do much; not what I wanted him to do anyways, and so a few minutes later I got in the shower and ready to go to work.
When I got out of the shower, it felt like I got a crick in my neck! (And that my dears is why you are supposed to drink water…) There wasn't any issue before though, so why would it do this now? The rest of the night at the library my neck gradually grew more sore to where I couldn't move it, couldn't bend over because that strained it, and couldn't cough even.

So this morning I'm hoping the crick is gone. It's not. Mila still likes to be held. I was dreading holding her, not because I didn't want to… I just didn't want the neck pain. Mila ended up waking up at 7:00 am! Before Luke even LEFT for school! She usually wakes up around 10. Sometimes 12. I guess the sleep schedule is changing again. Ugh. So instead of having a quiet morning, I had to shuffle things, and make it work so I could finish the newsletter, clean the living room, have some quiet time, and still watch her and feed her. I had to pick up Luke's eye patch from the eye doctor (that we've been waiting on for months… and I'm not exaggerating). I had to cash a check today for Aldo so that he has his spending money (and I haven't even gotten my "blow money" in cash this month). And I had to get groceries because I'm out of cereal and almost milk and almost diapers (don't want to run out of those for sure) and baby food. BUT, of course, the other day I went on a field trip with Luke to the Sea Life Aquarium by Crown Center. We had a fun time and by the end I was exhausted. So that I wouldn't have to carry around a purse, etc. I decided to just put my credit card, ID, and health info all in my back pocket in the little insurance holder I keep everything in… and this morning couldn't find it. I distinctly remember it on the green chair, but also in the laundry room on the dryer, and a time when Mila was digging through stuff and I caught her with it, took it away and put it somewhere. So I couldn't find it. How am I going to pay for groceries? I called, and they said they accept checks. Whew, I thought, I can still get some work done, come back and find my cards later. I go shopping. I probably spend 30 minutes to an hour looking at Mother's Day cards only to NOT find anything that describes mom or our relationship, or her taste (sorry that hot pink zebra stripe/cheetah print will not work!) and since she works at Hallmark, I have this inner desire and conviction that I have to pick out the right card. I get the rest of my groceries, and by the end there, Mila is getting fussy and ready to go, so I cut the list short and go to purchase my cart-ful of items.
Checks require an ID. I don't have my ID. Thank goodness I have my ATM card. And thank goodness there's money in the bank. Oh my gosh, what a hassle. So I stood there like a dummy entering and re-entering my 4-digit passcode trying to get money out and it continued to say there's an error. After the 7th or 8th time, I figure out that I don't have a checking account and maybe I should select "savings". Error. Ok, try the numbers flipped. Finally, it works! Hallelujah! I barely bought anything and it cost $128. By that time, I was almost like - forget it. It's the end of the month and I'm spending this much on milk and bread? (No meat in the basket?) That's ridiculous!

For the rest of the afternoon I've been looking for this stupid card packet. It's not in the green chair. Not in the new couch. Not in the Franken-couch. Not in the laundry room. Not in my pockets, purses, library bag, dresser, clothes pile… where did it go?

Mila likes to pull stuff out of her diaper bag and out of my purse, and today she kindly helped me by emptying out one of the grocery bags. (There's a trail, showing where she's been.) Right now the dishes are clean, so I'm thinking it's about time for me to get my life together….!
And to start - let's catch up on some blogging, some likes/dislikes, some pictures!!

• Dad (PaPa) came over to visit - Mila still takes a while to warm up to him - and he mentioned that when I was little, I liked to climb up his belly to his neck and shoulders. Literally, the very next day, Mila started doing the same thing. She loves to walk up my belly to my shoulders and jump on my neck. It doesn't help the crick. It's the cutest thing though when her smile is from ear to ear and you see her big "toofers" popping out because her feet are in your face.
• Mila eats baby food now. Stage 2: Sitter. Even though she's crawling and pulling up, she likes Stage 2 best, too many chunks to gag on in the Stage 3, and Stage 1 is too soupy. Best flavors are in Stage 2 also. She likes the "calm" fruity things (apples, pears, bananas, sweet potato). But, she enjoys a little cinnamon added. Or a sip from my Gatorade or Horchata. (Now that I think about it, I'm not as stickler about things with her as I was with Luke. Darn! I said I wouldn't be THAT parent. The one that lets the second child get away with everything and is more harsh on the first and expects more out of the first… They're the first child - how are they supposed to know what to do?! They don't have an older example! …rant over.) Macaroni and cheese flavor is out of the question. And so is anything green. Hey, and can finally suck on those first baby cereal snacks without choking! But if she gets two or more in her mouth, she'll gag. Lesson learned. 
• I got her this cow toy that you can put balls in. She likes the balls. She likes blocks. She likes things that shake, light up, make noise, or shine. She likes bracelets. She likes brushes (hair or tooth). She looooooves remotes. She likes anything that I want and say she can't have.
• She can pull up on things and she's beginning to walk along the couch, etc. It won't be long until she's walking on her own. 
• She recognizes Elmo. She recognizes Peppa Pig.
• She knows sign language!! She's been tugging on her shirts for the longest time and finally we got it… she's saying please!!! I thought she had it switched with "ta da", but she didn't. She was doing the tug without me knowing. Momma wasn't getting it. Aldo figured it out the other day. So for future reference, when you teach your child something, the next step is to be aware when they use it!
• We're still working on the sleeping in her crib and out of a bottle. And teaching her "no" or "ouch" means stop what she's doing. And also, "night night" or "lay down" because lately she's been staying up wayyy past what a little baby should. We get in bed and instantly she wants to crawl around, blow on mommy's belly, look adorable in front of daddy, look at the touch light between our headboard, and climb around the headboard. Being sick these last few days has put a hiccup in our weaning off of mommy and out of our bed. First, I am exhausted. Second, Mucinex lowers your milk supply, as well as do a lot of other things. I'm trying to stay away from formula… it's just so expensive. And if I have the milk supply… well then, I guess I can bear the bites a bit longer.

The whole urgency for sleeping in a crib and going to bottle is because in June we have the Awaken Camp with the church youth again. And this year they want me to come even though I'll have Mila. (They're breaking their "no kids" rule for me!) And even though I'll be completely distracted with her and won't be able to do much. I don't know if they understand how clingy to momma she is…

Speaking of clingyness - She is still clingy, but she'll go to a few people. Amber Springer during our On Pointe classes on Tuesday nights. It was an easy thing to do. Probably because she's in the nursery with all the toys and Luke is in there too. Sheri Smith. I have no idea why. Ricky Skaggs. These last few times at Bible study he's held her and she just stares at him. (He is a bit strange, isn't he? Ha!) And there are people she hasn't warmed up to yet, that you think she would… Maecy and Ember for instance. 

And here are some major pictures I have missed.

Big Girl's First Bath

Mateo Came to Visit!

Early April - We Like to Watch Brother Play Soccer

Go Great White Sharks! Go #2! (P.S. Spring Soccer is freezing)

Happy Easter!

* Favorite: April - First Teeth on Top *

(Middle Right, Gap, Next to Middle Left)